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Kerry arrives in Brussels for terrorism talks

Posted: 3:17 AM, Mar 25, 2016

Updated:2016-03-25 08:17:38Z

By:
Associated Press

Copyright Associated Press

Cliff Owen

<p>In this Feb. 17, 2016, file photo, Secretary of State John Kerry puts his hand to his ear while listening to a reporter's question at the State Department in Washington. Kerry faces skeptical senators when he appears before a Republican-led panel just a day after the United States and Russia agreed on a new cease-fire for Syria. Kerry is scheduled to testify Feb. 23 before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee amid nagging questions over enforcement of the truce and how violations of the agreement will be handled. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)</p>

BRUSSELS (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived in Brussels for counter-terrorism talks with EU and Belgian officials and to pay his respects to the victims of this week's attacks.

Kerry landed at the still-closed Brussels airport for a brief, hastily scheduled stop from Moscow, where he said the attacks underscored the urgency of unity in the fight against the Islamic State group. The group has claimed responsibility for Tuesday's bombings at the airport departure terminal and a downtown Metro stop that killed 31 people and wounded 270.

On his five-hour visit Kerry is to meet with European Union Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Belgium Prime Minister Charles Michel and Foreign Minister Didier Reynders as well as Belgium's King Philippe. He will also lay a wreath at a memorial site at the airport for attack victims.